The strangest applications in the world were certainly made from time to time towards Mr. Johnson, who by that means had an inexhaustible fund of anecdote, and could, if he pleased, tell the most astonishing stories of human folly and human weakness that ever were confided to any man not a confessor by profession.
One day when he was in a humour to record some of them, he told us the following tale: 'A person (said he) had for these last five weeks often called at my door, but would not leave his name, or other message; but that he wished to speak with me. At last we met, and he told me that he was oppressed by scruples of conscience: I blamed him gently for not applying, as the rules of our church direct, to his parish priest or other discreet clergyman[1]; when, after some compliments on his part, he told me, that he was clerk to a very eminent[2] trader, at whose warehouses much business consisted in packing goods in order to go abroad that he was often tempted to take paper and packthread enough for his own use, and that he had indeed done so so often, that he could recollect no time when he ever had bought any for himself. – But probably (said I), your master was wholly indifferent with regard to such trivial emoluments; you
1 'If there be any of you who by this means cannot quiet his own conscience herein, but requireth further comfort or counsel, let him come to me, or to some other discreet and learned Minister of God's Word, and open his grief.' Book of Common Prayer. The Communion.
2 Eminent was a favourite word last century; the following instances show its use.
'What would a stranger say of the English nation, in which on the day of marriage all the men are eminent?' Johnson's Works, iv. 186.
'Mr. Samuel Vandewall, an eminent merchant, was married to the relict of Mr. Harris Neate.' Gentleman's Magazine, 1745, p. 51. 'The Rev. and eminent Mr. Warburton to Miss Tucker of Bath.' Ib. p. 502.
'An eminent personage, however, he [Cromwell] was in many respects, and even a superior genius.' Hume's History of England, ed. 1773, vii. 290.
'The son of Mr. Galliard, an eminent Turkey merchant, is the man with whom she has made this exchange.' Sir Charles Grandison, ed. 1754, ii. 239.
'He had been an eminent man for many years for cursing, swearing, drinking,' &c. Wesley's Journal, ed. 1830, ii. 133. 'One of the most eminent drunkards in all the town.' Ib. ii. 226.
